Identifying Similarities and Differences Strategies
1. Venn Diagrams
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10-20 minutes
Room Arrangement: Small groups or traditional rows
Materials: Venn Diagram worksheet (or tools to create a Venn Diagram), larger Venn Diagram on board at front of classroom, writing utensils
-Process:
A Venn Diagram is a graphic organizer used to compare two or three ideas. When completed as a class, the teacher models the process on the front board or overhead projector/ELMO. Students draw overlapping circles or use the provided worksheet and label each circle according to the separate topics they are comparing. Students then write characteristics of the topics in the corresponding circles, placing individual characteristics/statements in the overlapping parts of the circles if shared by all of the topics overlapping in that section of the diagram. *Note: An adaptation of this strategy would be to use hula hoops as the Venn Diagram circles when sharing with the whole class to make learning more hands-on.
-Examples:
Elementary: This diagram can be used in a variety of elementary school lessons across all subject areas. For example, a class could use a Venn Diagram to compare different classes of animals in a science lesson or different characters of a book in Language Arts.
Middle School: This diagram could also be used in any middle school subject. In a math lesson, the class could use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the differences between positive and negative integers, or in a social studies lesson, to highlight the differences and similarities between loyalists and patriots during the American Revolution. Using a Venn Diagram would help students more clearly form an understanding of these concepts and identify important defining features.
-Sources:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
2. Drawing a Comparative Picture or Diagram
-Basics:
Time Needed: 5-20 minutes, depending on intricacy
Room Arrangement: No special setup necessary
Materials: Paper, drawing utensils (pencil, markers, crayons, etc.)
-Process Directions:
When given the task of comparing two or more ideas, students draw a pictorial representation of both. As they draw, students focus on key characteristics about each person/thing/idea. This visual representation allows students to more clearly see similarities and differences in many cases. Pictures do not need to be highly detailed or complicated; they should simply be representational of similarities and differences among the key people, items, or ideas which are being compared.
-Examples:
This strategy is especially useful in the math classroom, both in middle and elementary school. When comparing two or more abstract mathematical concepts (such as fractions), drawing a simple visual representation can allow students to make the concept more real-world and relatable. By transferring this abstract comparison to a real-life representation, students are able to make the comparison more relatable and understandable. The problem then makes more sense and is often easier to solve. Visual learners could greatly benefit from this strategy.
-Source:
Cathcart, W.G., Vance, J.H., Pothier, Y.M., Bezuk, N.S. (2005). Learning mathematics in elementary and middle schools: A learner-centered approach (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
3. Metaphors
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special set-up necessary
Materials: Paper, writing utensils
-Process:
Metaphors are very simple to use as instructional strategies, but also very useful. Students begin by identifying the most important elements of the information they are comparing. They then make this information more general by substituting more general words for specific ones and by summing the information up. After students have come up with a pattern, they look for other situations to which this pattern may apply, with which they are more familiar. Once they find an example for comparison of each concept, they have created metaphors. These metaphors relate the ideas they are learning to ideas they already know and understand, in order for the new concepts to make more sense.
-Examples:
Metaphors would be useful when comparing important social studies or science terms which may be too abstract or technological for students to understand, such as the difference between capitalism and socialism. Students may find it useful to think of capitalism as a lemonade stand (entrepreneurship and free enterprise) and socialism as a post office (government regulated). Coming up with metaphors which relate to concepts they know will help them better understand these new ideas.
Source:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
4. Ideas Face-Off
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Room Arrangement: Desks arranged in several small groups
Materials: Paper and writing utensils to keep track of ideas
-Process Directions:
An ideas face-off is a fun game used to practice identifying similarities and differences among different topics. The teacher begins by splitting the class up into several small teams (these can be table groups if students are already split up into small groups). The game begins with identifying similarities. To start, the teacher announces two topics and then points to a team. This team has three seconds to identify one similarity between the two topics. After the team has called out a similarity, the teacher moves on to the next team. The point is over when one team takes more than three seconds to shout out an answer. Face-offs can also be used for identifying differences among ideas. The game works well when comparing more than two or three topics.
-Examples:
Elementary: An ideas face-off can be used in any subject area, and is very useful for brainstorming ideas at the beginning of a lesson or practicing before a final assessment. For example, this strategy could be used to compare different characters in a book right before students create a final book report or presentation on the book.
Middle School: This game is very useful for a social studies classroom. I could use the game to have students compare anything from the characteristics of prominent historical figures we are studying to geographical features of countries.
Source:
Bright Hub, Inc. (2013). Compare and contrast interactive activities. Retrieved from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-english-lessons/99251-compare-and-contrast-interactive-activities/.
5. T-Charts
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10-15 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special arrangement necessary.
Materials: T-Chart form or blank paper, writing utensils for all students
-Process:
In this very simple form of comparing and contrasting, students begin with a two column chart with space for titles on top, making the chart look like a letter “T.” Students then place the names of the two topics they are comparing at the top of opposite columns and record characteristics about the topics in their respective columns. This kind of chart is especially useful when comparing opposing arguments or sides of the same topic.
-Examples:
A great way to use a T-Chart is in a social studies class when discussing the views of opposing political parties. Students would label their columns “Republican Party” and “Democratic Party” and list characteristics of each party in their respective columns. To make the similarities and differences more clear, students can write similarities and differences across from each other in the chart. For a relatively silly example, students would write “Symbol is an elephant” under “Republican Party” on the same line as they would write “Symbol is a donkey” under “Democratic Party.”
Source:
Marzano, R.J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
6. Classification
-Basics:
Time Needed: Varies, 10-30 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special arrangement necessary.
Materials: Objects to be classified.
-Process:
In this very basic strategy, students begin by choosing the items they wish to classify (may be chosen by teacher). They then select an item, describe some important characteristics about that item, and find other items with similar characteristics. Students create a category to fit these specific qualifications, and then repeat the process with other items which do not fit into the first category until all items are classified. This strategy can work with ideas as well as tangible items, and should require students to provide an explanation for why they put each item/idea in the category they choose. Because students are forced to think and make decisions for themselves, the strategy helps them to better understand key similarities and differences among the different items or ideas.
-Example:
Classification is a great strategy for comparing and contrasting different types of literature in a language arts class. After reading several stories, students can decide on important characteristics of each and then find others which share similar characteristics. Often times a graphic organizer is a great way to keep track of classifications.
-Source:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10-20 minutes
Room Arrangement: Small groups or traditional rows
Materials: Venn Diagram worksheet (or tools to create a Venn Diagram), larger Venn Diagram on board at front of classroom, writing utensils
-Process:
A Venn Diagram is a graphic organizer used to compare two or three ideas. When completed as a class, the teacher models the process on the front board or overhead projector/ELMO. Students draw overlapping circles or use the provided worksheet and label each circle according to the separate topics they are comparing. Students then write characteristics of the topics in the corresponding circles, placing individual characteristics/statements in the overlapping parts of the circles if shared by all of the topics overlapping in that section of the diagram. *Note: An adaptation of this strategy would be to use hula hoops as the Venn Diagram circles when sharing with the whole class to make learning more hands-on.
-Examples:
Elementary: This diagram can be used in a variety of elementary school lessons across all subject areas. For example, a class could use a Venn Diagram to compare different classes of animals in a science lesson or different characters of a book in Language Arts.
Middle School: This diagram could also be used in any middle school subject. In a math lesson, the class could use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the differences between positive and negative integers, or in a social studies lesson, to highlight the differences and similarities between loyalists and patriots during the American Revolution. Using a Venn Diagram would help students more clearly form an understanding of these concepts and identify important defining features.
-Sources:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
2. Drawing a Comparative Picture or Diagram
-Basics:
Time Needed: 5-20 minutes, depending on intricacy
Room Arrangement: No special setup necessary
Materials: Paper, drawing utensils (pencil, markers, crayons, etc.)
-Process Directions:
When given the task of comparing two or more ideas, students draw a pictorial representation of both. As they draw, students focus on key characteristics about each person/thing/idea. This visual representation allows students to more clearly see similarities and differences in many cases. Pictures do not need to be highly detailed or complicated; they should simply be representational of similarities and differences among the key people, items, or ideas which are being compared.
-Examples:
This strategy is especially useful in the math classroom, both in middle and elementary school. When comparing two or more abstract mathematical concepts (such as fractions), drawing a simple visual representation can allow students to make the concept more real-world and relatable. By transferring this abstract comparison to a real-life representation, students are able to make the comparison more relatable and understandable. The problem then makes more sense and is often easier to solve. Visual learners could greatly benefit from this strategy.
-Source:
Cathcart, W.G., Vance, J.H., Pothier, Y.M., Bezuk, N.S. (2005). Learning mathematics in elementary and middle schools: A learner-centered approach (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
3. Metaphors
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special set-up necessary
Materials: Paper, writing utensils
-Process:
Metaphors are very simple to use as instructional strategies, but also very useful. Students begin by identifying the most important elements of the information they are comparing. They then make this information more general by substituting more general words for specific ones and by summing the information up. After students have come up with a pattern, they look for other situations to which this pattern may apply, with which they are more familiar. Once they find an example for comparison of each concept, they have created metaphors. These metaphors relate the ideas they are learning to ideas they already know and understand, in order for the new concepts to make more sense.
-Examples:
Metaphors would be useful when comparing important social studies or science terms which may be too abstract or technological for students to understand, such as the difference between capitalism and socialism. Students may find it useful to think of capitalism as a lemonade stand (entrepreneurship and free enterprise) and socialism as a post office (government regulated). Coming up with metaphors which relate to concepts they know will help them better understand these new ideas.
Source:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
4. Ideas Face-Off
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Room Arrangement: Desks arranged in several small groups
Materials: Paper and writing utensils to keep track of ideas
-Process Directions:
An ideas face-off is a fun game used to practice identifying similarities and differences among different topics. The teacher begins by splitting the class up into several small teams (these can be table groups if students are already split up into small groups). The game begins with identifying similarities. To start, the teacher announces two topics and then points to a team. This team has three seconds to identify one similarity between the two topics. After the team has called out a similarity, the teacher moves on to the next team. The point is over when one team takes more than three seconds to shout out an answer. Face-offs can also be used for identifying differences among ideas. The game works well when comparing more than two or three topics.
-Examples:
Elementary: An ideas face-off can be used in any subject area, and is very useful for brainstorming ideas at the beginning of a lesson or practicing before a final assessment. For example, this strategy could be used to compare different characters in a book right before students create a final book report or presentation on the book.
Middle School: This game is very useful for a social studies classroom. I could use the game to have students compare anything from the characteristics of prominent historical figures we are studying to geographical features of countries.
Source:
Bright Hub, Inc. (2013). Compare and contrast interactive activities. Retrieved from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-english-lessons/99251-compare-and-contrast-interactive-activities/.
5. T-Charts
-Basics:
Time Needed: 10-15 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special arrangement necessary.
Materials: T-Chart form or blank paper, writing utensils for all students
-Process:
In this very simple form of comparing and contrasting, students begin with a two column chart with space for titles on top, making the chart look like a letter “T.” Students then place the names of the two topics they are comparing at the top of opposite columns and record characteristics about the topics in their respective columns. This kind of chart is especially useful when comparing opposing arguments or sides of the same topic.
-Examples:
A great way to use a T-Chart is in a social studies class when discussing the views of opposing political parties. Students would label their columns “Republican Party” and “Democratic Party” and list characteristics of each party in their respective columns. To make the similarities and differences more clear, students can write similarities and differences across from each other in the chart. For a relatively silly example, students would write “Symbol is an elephant” under “Republican Party” on the same line as they would write “Symbol is a donkey” under “Democratic Party.”
Source:
Marzano, R.J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
6. Classification
-Basics:
Time Needed: Varies, 10-30 minutes
Classroom Arrangement: No special arrangement necessary.
Materials: Objects to be classified.
-Process:
In this very basic strategy, students begin by choosing the items they wish to classify (may be chosen by teacher). They then select an item, describe some important characteristics about that item, and find other items with similar characteristics. Students create a category to fit these specific qualifications, and then repeat the process with other items which do not fit into the first category until all items are classified. This strategy can work with ideas as well as tangible items, and should require students to provide an explanation for why they put each item/idea in the category they choose. Because students are forced to think and make decisions for themselves, the strategy helps them to better understand key similarities and differences among the different items or ideas.
-Example:
Classification is a great strategy for comparing and contrasting different types of literature in a language arts class. After reading several stories, students can decide on important characteristics of each and then find others which share similar characteristics. Often times a graphic organizer is a great way to keep track of classifications.
-Source:
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Denver: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.